Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-10-05
UBIQUITOUS ISRAELITES.
Their Adsptability to All Climates al
Conditions

Their AuRptabil1ty to All Climates and
Conditions.
1t las frequently been remarked, says
the Jewish World, thst the Jewish race
hiss wonderful power of adaptation to
all climates. Jews are found in sn parts
OF the globe, and seem 10 possess q re- |
markeble faculty for scclimatizatioD,
even under tue most un!avorabIe circum-
stances. N1esopotamia is considered the
mother country OF the AbIaaamic
the human r8Ce. Some years ago 8
small colony CT Jews were found
II the ancient city of Seminar, in the south
Of Mesopotamia, and in the vicinity of
ancient Babylon. OF The seventy families
composing the colony, one claims 10 be
descended from King Joachim, the rest
from the house of Levi. A colony Of Jews
appear To have settled il China about the
beginning Cf the third century OF the
Christian era, under the dynasty OF Han.
IN l7C4 Father G3uztni, Roman Cath
olic missionary, found seven Jewish fam
lies near Pekin.
Ia 1856 Portuguese Jew Of Amster-
dam, named DePAVis, discovered q sect
Ot Jews ia Cochin, China. According 10
S tradition preserved amorg them, they
we're descended from a tribe CT Jews who
mad quilted Palestine OIL the obstruction
CT the second temple. From their long
residence in Cocnin they had become
completely bronzed. Taesa are not tie
same as the Malabar Jews.
The Jewish traveller, Beuil.
mia, sometimes called Baai4m!n
the Second discovered 8 colony of Jews,
evidently OF Pe.s.an origin, iG Hiudoo-
stan. They were known as "B4Cylo..isn
Jews" on account Of their having
migrated from Babylon. They observed
the essential rites OF Judaism, and strict
ly avoided intermgrriage With other seCts.
Ia the beginning Of the Seventeenth cen
tury Jewish CClory settled in Cayenne,
in the West Indies, one Of the most in
hospitsble climates in South America.
Cayenne was subsequently conquered
BY the French, who made it a penal
settlement, and the Jewish colony was
forced to retire to Surinam. NotWith-
standing frequent prosecutions Jews ere
still! found in Psrsis, more especially 10
the south of the Caspian sea, where tn
soil ia very fertile, but the climate very
unhealthy. The principal city ia Bal
presh, where about $50 Jewish families
reside IN almost complete isolation. They
trade with their brethren in Great Tar
tary, and are engaged in the wool and
silk trade Or in the sale OF cltrons.
They, too, trace their origin from the
Babylonian captivity, for, according 10 g
tradition still possessed among them,
their ancestors settled in Persia in the
time OF NebuChGdnezzer, and did not re
{ spond to the appeal OF Ezra to return to
Palestine. Their mode of life resembles
that Of the Persians in general They
hold the beard III high esteem and wear
long, flowing robes. They have seyersl
synagogues and obtain scrolls Of the law
from Bagdad. The celebrated African traV-
eler, Murgo Park, found colony of Jewish
families in the heart of Africa, about 500
miles from the coast. 1t is, no doubt,
this peculiarly OF the Jewish race which
ioouced g French writer on "Medical
Geography" TO expression that sit is
questionable whether the crossing of
human varieties confers on the issue
constant advantages in relation to the
species, for the Jewish race seems in q
wonderful manner capable OF adapting
itself to every change OF climate, while
others are scarcely able TO beer the least
change"
The Jew is found in every part of the
world; in Europe, FROM Norway to Glib
raltar; IN Africa, from Algiers to the
Cape of Good Hope; in Asis, from Cochin
to the Caucasus; from Jsffa to Pekjn
he has peopled Australia, and mas giver
proof of his powers of administration
under the tropics, where people of Euro
pean origin have constantly filled tc
perpetuate themselves.